Dobby's Friend
by Harry50
Summary: What could have happened if Dobby didn't die after rescuing Harry and his friends from Malfoy Manor? Could it affect the course of the war in any way?
1. Chapter 1 Bonding

_What could have happened if Dobby didn't die after rescuing Harry and his friends from Malfoy Manor?_

_Here is my take on this. As usual, it is a Harry/Hermione pairing._

_As you all know, I do not own the Harry Potter universe or any part of it. They all belong to J.K. Rowling and her associates. I only play with the characters for my own pleasure and hopefully yours as well._

**Dobby's Friend**

**1. Bonding**

"Dobby, no, don't die, don't die!"

Harry was desperate. Dobby had just rescued him from Malfoy Manor, but the cost seemed too high. Dobby deserved to live and Harry was unable to help the little elf. In his desperation he remembered another house-elf. "Kreacher!"

He didn't really know why he said that name, not really calling it, but as soon as the sound left his lips, the other house elf appeared in front of him, bowing slightly.

"What can Kreacher do for Master?"

"Can you help Dobby? He's badly hurt!"

Kreacher turned to Dobby and snapped his fingers. The silver knife sled out and fell to the ground and the wound seemed to be closing, yet Dobby didn't seem to get better. He was losing his conscience and seemed to be dying just as before.

"Kreacher can do no more. Dobby is dying for lack of master. Only bonding to a wizard or witch can save him now," Kreacher said, his voice devoid of any emotions.

Harry didn't hesitate. "How can I do it?"

"Just say you accept Dobby as your bonded house elf."

"I, Harry James Potter, accept Dobby as my bonded house elf and my friend," Harry said as quickly as he could. "I also swear to let Dobby free whenever Dobby asks for it," he added just as solemnly.

"And why would I ever want to leave the Great Harry Potter Sir?" a weak voice asked him.

"Dobby! You're alive!" Harry looked at the small elf. He was still looking sick and weak, but there was a new sparkle in his big eyes.

"Dobby is alive now, thanks to the Great Harry Potter Sir." His voice sounded a bit stronger.

"Dobby, I command you to rest until you're fully healed," Harry said sternly. He turned to Kreacher. "Is there anything else we can do for Dobby?"

"No, Master. The magic of the new bond is sure to heal him soon." Harry couldn't decipher the elf's expression.

"Please help me carry Dobby inside," he asked Kreacher.

He bent down and tried scooping Dobby like he was carrying a child in his arms. Kreacher helped move Dobby, who seemed to fall asleep. "Kreacher can levitate Dobby there," the old elf remarked.

"I know, Kreacher, but Dobby has just saved my life along with the lives of my friends. He deserves to be treated like a friend as well."

The old elf nodded. "Kreacher understands," he said thoughtfully.

Harry carried Dobby in his arms into the house, where Bill and Fleur were already waiting. "I need a bed for Dobby," he told them.

Fleur raised a brow but said nothing. She only led Harry to a small room, adjacent to the kitchen, and conjured a small bed, just the right size for Dobby. Harry put Dobby in the bed and tucked him in. Dobby smiled in his sleep but didn't wake up.

"Kreacher, keep an eye on him. Call me if he gets any worse. I'll just check on my friends and join you here," Harry said.

Harry checked Hermione first. She was suffering the after-effects of the Cruciatus curse and her arm was still bleeding where Belatrix had cut it, but she managed to smile at Harry despite it. "Fleur is going to tend to my injuries and give me a potion to help with the curse. I'll be alright by morning."

Harry knew from experience that it would take much longer, but he accepted her words, wishing they were really true. Ron was also there and he was sure Ron would take good care of Hermione.

He then checked Luna and Dean. Both felt relieved and thankful for being rescued and Harry let them rest and recuperate. Ollivander was grateful as well, but he wasn't well. He had suffered for too long and would need more than a few days to regain his strength. Harry was surprised to see that Griphook was still holding the sword of Gryffindor, yet that brought an idea into his mind, one he would need to think some more about before he could act upon. Griphook had already been treated by Fleur and would regain his health quite soon, so it seemed.

Relieved that all those rescued were on their way to recovery, Harry returned to Dobby's bedside. "Kreacher, you may rest now. I'll take over staying with Dobby."

"Kreacher needs no rest now, but Master needs it badly" Kreacher replied, looking quite stubborn. "Master must rest now. Kreacher will watch Dobby until Master is fully rested."

This surprised Harry. While Kreacher had become much more cooperative since they gave him the fake locket, he never before showed any initiative. "Are you sure?" he asked, some disbelief showing in his voice.

"Kreacher is sure. Master must rest now."

It was almost midday when Harry woke up. It took him some time to fall asleep, as Voldemort's fury at the residents of Malfoy manor was terrible, yet it also helped a bit. Knowing that Hermione's tormentors and his were being punished helped him sleep deeper. But now he was worried anew. He needed to know how Dobby was doing and then he had some plans brewing in his mind while sleeping. He needed to act on them and the sooner the better.

A "pop" was heard and Harry was surprised to see Dobby in front of him. "Will the Great Harry Potter Sir eat breakfast now or lunch?"

It took Harry a moment to register what he saw. "Dobby, you should still be resting. You've been badly injured. We've almost lost you, you know."

"Dobby knows. It was only The Great Harry Potter Sir's magic which brought me back to life. It's such great magic that Dobby needs no more rest. Dobby can now serve the Great Harry Potter Sir as Dobby always wished."

Harry knew it was futile to argue with Dobby. He had already tried once, during the summer before his second year at Hogwarts.

"Alright, Dobby, but you should not call me by that long name. I'm just Harry for my friends, and I consider you my friend."

He winced as he saw the effect his words had on Dobby. The little elf seemed to almost jump out of his skin from joy and also seemed to have lost his tongue, unable to speak. He just hugged Harry's leg, the one closer to him, as if it was his life line while his eyes were leaking tears of joy. Not knowing what to do, Harry called Kreacher.

Another "pop" announced the arrival of the older elf. "Master called Kreacer?" he asked.

Harry pointed at Dobby, who was still hugging his leg and weeping of joy. "Can you make him relax?"

Kreacher seemed to keep himself from smiling. His new master was clueless about house-elves, that was evident, and that young elf was much too excitable, simply unbecoming for a house elf, yet almost as adorable as a small child. "What did Master say to Dobby?"

"I told him he should call me Harry, as I'd like you to do as well. I consider both of you my friends."

Kreacher felt his eyes getting a bit wet as well. "Kreacher is too old to change his ways. If Master allows, I'll keep calling him Master."

"As you wish, although I'd like it better if you call me Harry."

Kreacher only nodded. He approached Dobby, who seemed oblivious to the world, and started peeling him away from Harry. He did it tenderly, whispering quietly into Dobby's big ears. The younger elf seemed to gradually relax and return to his normal self.

By the time Harry finished his shower, Dobby was ready with a large breakfast tray. "Lunch will be served in another hour in the kitchen," he informed Harry.

While Harry ate, Dobby prepared some clean clothes for Harry. He then stopped, looking at his outer robe. "You should wear your house crest on your robes," he noted.

"I know, but it's safer not to display the Potter crest at these times."

"You could use the Black one," Dobby suggested.

"Are you sure?"

Dobby rolled his eyes, reminding him of Hermione. "You own Kreacher and the Black ancestral home, which means you are Lord Black, just as much as you are Lord Potter."

Harry thought for a moment and then sighed. "I'm not sure it will be any safer, you know. I should wait for better times to display my ancestry."

Dobby didn't seem to like the idea either, but he didn't comment. He waited for Harry to finish eating and then disappeared with the tray.

It was a lovely day. Harry found that all his friends were outside, soaking the warmth of the sun and looking much better than when he had seen them last.

Hermione was talking with Fleur, exercising her French and laughing occasionally. Ron was staying near them, yet he was eying Luna, who was wearing a very short dress and seemed to wear nothing under it. She was dancing dreamily, her eyes closed as her face was turned towards the sun and her arms raised. Still, the hem of her dress never reached higher than her mid thigh, to Ron's disappointment. Dean was sitting on a rock, looking at the sea, not actually seeing it. Harry couldn't guess what Dean was thinking about.

Farther away, he saw Mr. Ollivander stretched on a sun bed, covered with a blanket, as if the sun wasn't warm enough, with Bill sitting near him. Ollivander looked pale and unhealthy. Harry didn't dare think of what he had been through during his long captivity.

Hermione noticed him approach. She left Fleur and ran towards him. "Oh, Harry! I was wondering if you'll wake up before dinner," she said with a smile, hugging him as tight as she could. Harry was suddenly becoming very aware of the fact that she was a girl. Now, only wearing a thin dress, her breasts were being pressed onto his chest, leaving no doubt about her being a young attractive woman. Her dress also had a low neckline, allowing him to see quite a nice cleavage, something he had never seen on her before. He felt his face getting much too warm. He was sure it was also turning red, but Hermione didn't seem to mind. She was probably feeling his body reacting to her proximity as well, but that didn't stop her from hugging Harry some more.

"How are you?" he finally asked, once he could control his voice again.

"I'm fine, really. That potion had worked wonders on me, and Fleur even found a spell to heal the injury leaving practically no trace. See?"

She moved her sleeve up, showing him her arm, free of any blemish. Only a thin scar and a slight discoloration showed where she had been injured by Belatrix. "Fleur believes that it would become completely invisible within another day or so."

Harry was glad. Hermione sounded happy, just as he remembered her during the Yule ball. Although she was no longer hugging him, she was still holding his hand and Harry had their fingers entwined without even thinking of it. For a few precious minutes, he was at peace with the world, as Hermione was happy at his side.

By now, Ron was also approaching them, followed by Luna.

"Hi, mate. I've never thought you'll sleep later than me," he smiled at Harry.

"I've surprised myself as well," Harry replied patting his shoulder.

"Harry Potter, thank you for taking me away from that place," Luna said.

"You should thank Dobby for that. We could not escape so easily without his help."

"Where is he?" Hermione asked.

"I've last seen him in the kitchen, discussing with Kreacher the merits of different foods for Mr. Ollivander and for Luna."

"He's well? That's wonderful!"

"Yes, he was the first to come to me as I was waking up. How's Mr. Ollivander?"

Luna frowned. "The Dark Lord has tortured him many times. It's a miracle he's still alive, but maybe Dobby and Kreacher will be able to restore his physical health. I'm not so sure about the rest." This time, she sounded precise and focused, as expected from a Ravenclaw, not at all like her regular self.

"You care for him," Hermione noted tenderly.

"He's the only person I had there to support me whenever... And he wasn't well either." There was some deep pain in her voice, a pain she didn't manage to mask.

"What did they do to you?" Hermione asked with a lot of concern.

"It doesn't matter now," Luna answered in her dreamy tone, yet it was clearly meant as 'Leave me alone about this!'

Hermione seemed to hold Harry's hand tighter, as if conveying a message. Ron seemed suddenly very tender as well. He offered Luna his arm and led her to another spot facing the sea. She put her head on his shoulder and seemed to relax.

"They look good together," Hermione noted.

"I thought you fancied Ron," Harry noted with evident surprise.

"I love him as a friend, but my heart belongs to another," she said, tightening her hold on his hand.

He responded the same way. He thought he understood, but it was not yet time to talk about his feelings. He hoped that time would come soon.

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	2. Chapter 2 Rituals

**2. Rituals**

It was a few days after their escape. Harry had a horrible night, seeing Voldemort torturing and killing some innocent victims first and then two of his followers, for failing to find Harry's whereabouts. Dobby, who came to check on him after all other occupants of Shell Cottage had finished breakfast, was extremely worried when he saw Harry in this state. Fearing that his new master and friend was ill, he cast some diagnostic spells, only known to house-elves. Dobby was surprised by what he found and left the room, where Harry continued sleeping, having more nightmares. Dobby returned a few minutes later with Bill at tow and Hermione following them, looking very worried.

Bill didn't hesitate. He waved his wand in some very complicated movements, whispering several obscure spells in ancient languages. Once he stopped, Harry was shrouded in a bluish fog, except near his famous scar, where the fog turned dark red. Bill frowned. He made the fog disappear with a wave of his wand and examined the scar closely. "I'll be right back," he said and left the room.

"What is it, Dobby?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Harry has some kind of magical leach, a bit of a foreign soul that resides in his scar and drains some of his magic," Dobby explained. "A curse breaker may be able to remove it."

Hermione's quick mind processed this new piece of information and then she gasped. "Harry is a Horcrux!?"

Dobby frowned, trying to recall the meaning of that word. He then gasped as well. "That may be true," he said sadly. "I hope Mr. Weasley is able to remove it."

Bill returned quickly, carrying an old book and some trinkets which only he knew what they were used for. He positioned several of these around Harry's bed and then wrote a few runes on Harry's forehead, using a special quill with some magical ink. He then looked at Hermione. "Can you bring all his friends here? This evil spirit would be easier to banish if Harry is engulfed with love and friendship."

Hermione left the room, returning soon with Ron and Luna. Fleur and Dean arrived a moment later. Bill asked them all to stand around Harry, who seemed to sleep quietly now, and touch his forehead with one hand each. Dobby also joined the circle, putting his long finger closest to the famous scar.

Bill started chanting in a language none could recognize. He touched the runes on Harry's forehead, making them light up in intense bluish light. The whole group seemed to become engulfed in a bluish sphere which pulsed along with the chant. This lasted several minutes, until Bill finally traced the scar with his wand.

Harry continued sleeping peacefully, but as soon as Bill's wand moved away, a blood-freezing scream was heard as dark black-green smoke seemed to come out of the scar. It coalesced into a form similar to a face with snake features, gave another piercing scream, and disintegrated into nothingness. The runes on Harry's forehead glowed a few more seconds and then faded as well.

Hermione was the first to bend down and check Harry. His scar was slightly bleeding now. She cleaned it with a whispered spell and then sealed it with another. The scar seemed to seal well and to start healing. Hermione caressed Harry's forehead and stood up.

"Will he be all right?" she asked Bill worriedly.

"He IS all right already. I've just cast a calming charm on him, so we could perform this ritual correctly and so that he could get some rest. I believe he'll be up in an hour or two."

"Thank you, Bill. I can't even say how much I appreciate your help."

"That's nothing, really. He is my brother in all but blood, isn't he? Brothers tend to help each other, you know."

Hermione smiled thankfully. "I have no brothers. How would I know?"

"Hey! You are our adopted sister, just like Harry is our adopted brother!" Ron exclaimed, surprising her.

"Adopted sister? There were times I thought you fancied me."

Ron blushed. "That was before I started seeing you as my sister." Luna's hand was tightly squeezed in his.

"And now you fancy Luna?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"I think Ronald has matured very much since I've last seen him. He is very fanciable now," Luna stated, making Hermione smile.

"Please leave the room now. Master Harry needs his rest," Dobby reminded them. All left, except for Bill, who collected his stuff before moving out. Dobby closed the door, took another scrutinizing look at Harry and vanished.

Hermione returned a few minutes later. She opened the door quietly and tiptoed in. She moved a chair nearer to the bed and sat on it, watching Harry. A small smile was adorning her face and her hand was resting on his, their fingers entwined.

When Harry woke up, the first thing he saw was his bushy-haired friend, asleep on the chair, with a smile on her face, holding his hand. 'I could get accustomed to this,' he thought.

Hermione awakened as soon as he moved. "How do you feel, Harry?" she asked anxiously.

"I'm fine, why?"

She moved his hair away from his forehead. The famous scar was no more. A faint and thin scar was still visible, but only slightly. She knew that just like her own scar had been completely healed in less than two days, his scar would also disappear completely.

"What are you doing?" he asked, confused by her unusual behavior and aroused by her tender touch.

She smiled reassuringly at him. "You've been found by Dobby, having another nightmare, and he checked you over, finding some evil residue in your scar. It was that evil which prevented it from healing completely. Bill has just removed it."

Harry touched his forehead. He only found a small bump where he had always felt the rough scar. The slight ache, which had always been there as a reminder, was also gone, making him feel happier.

"It's about lunch time. I'll leave you to change and get ready. I'll be waiting downstairs," Hermione told him, leaving the room.

Without the connection to Voldemort, Harry could finally sleep well, making him more alert and more focused during the days. He started working on a plan to get the Horcrux from Bellatrix's Gringotts vault. His initial idea, of using disguise to gain access was shot down by Griphook. "Gringotts has quite a few ways to discover such fraud, usually after letting you in part of the way. You won't like the consequences and your chances of surviving are less than if you go to meet the Dark Lord without your wand."

Griphook didn't like detailing, but after quite a long session of coaxing, he went into a few more details, which only helped Harry realize that this was the wrong way to tackle the problem.

He was standing in his room, looking at the dreary weather outside and trying his hardest to find another way. Hermione was standing at his side, looking just as disheartened. Dobby appeared in front of them with a "pop". "You look like you need some cheering," he commented. "May I bring you some hot chocolate?"

"I'd rather you bring me that Cup from Belatrix's vault!" Harry said, not really thinking.

"I believe I can do it," Dobby said excitedly.

"You can?" both Harry and Hermione asked with surprise.

"You are the Black heir, aren't you? You may officially declare yourself the Head of House, allowing you access to the vaults of all family members. Bella is still part of the family, I believe."

"Are you sure about it?"

"I've been talking with Kreacher. He remembers Bella as a kind little girl. He thinks she is possessed or maybe jinxed, as she's no longer nice and kind as she used to be when she was young."

As interesting as it was, Hermione had heard enough to push her forward. "What does Harry need to do to gain the status of Head of House Black?"

Dobby was no longer the fearful house-elf he had used to be. Being considered Harry's friend had done miracles to his confidence. "As far as I know, all he needs do is to declare himself as Lord Black and Head of House and summon the lord's ring. Maybe Kreacher can find the appropriate books in the Black library and bring them here."

"Kreacher!" Harry called.

"Yes, Master." The elf popped in.

"I need you to go with Dobby to the Black library and find all the books stating how to gain the position of Head of House Black. First check if the house is empty, though. I don't want any of you to be captured."

"Yes, Master." Kreacher grabbed Dobby's hand and disappeared.

"What are we going to do?" Harry asked.

"Once you are officially Lord Black, you can send Kreacher to bring any object you want from one of the Black vaults. That would be completely legal and the Goblins would not interfere." She thought a bit more. "We may ask Griphook, but I believe that if Kreacher gives the Goblins the cursed item, they will be just too glad to remove the curse – and the Horcrux – themselves. I don't think they like to keep such dark objects in their vaults."

Griphook confirmed her words, only adding that it would incur a large penalty on the owner of the vault.

By the time the two elves returned with several tomes, Hermione had her plan finished and approved by both Harry and Griphook. She scanned the books quickly, marking the pages which seemed relevant. Two hours later, she had the script ready for Harry.

He took the parchment and read it, then smiled at her. "I don't know what I'd do without you. I think I need you at my side for as long as I live."

Hermione smiled back at him. 'And even longer than that,' she said in her heart, trying not to get her eyes moist.

Harry looked at the parchment again and then lifted his wand up and said solemnly, "I, Harry James Potter, the rightful heir of Lord Sirius Orion Black, hereby accept the role of Lord Black, head of the ancient house of Black, with all the responsibilities and the rights this title carries, so mote it be!"

There was vivid green flash, as if he himself was glowing. As the light disappeared, Harry felt a new ring on his finger. Looking at it he saw it was a dark platinum signet ring carrying the Black crest, engraved on a black stone. It was elegant and sombre at the same time.

Harry looked at the parchment again and smirked as he saw the text written there. He lifted his wand once again. "As Lord Black, Head of the house of Black, I hereby seize the properties of Bellatrix Lestange, née Black, for behavior that is inappropriate for a member of the Black house. So mote it be!"

Another flash appeared, painting the room in red before disappearing. "What do the different colors mean?" he asked Hermione.

"I found no mention of them in the books. I think they vary with the deed and with the wizard. They shouldn't matter to you right now."

"Is this enough for Gringotts?" This question was directed at Griphook, who was also present.

"It should be, but you need to wait a few hours for all the records to get updated. Not all of them have automatic update charms."

"So, when can I send Kreacher to grab the dark artifact?"

"Tomorrow morning should be good enough," Griphook replied.

Harry stopped to think. "Shouldn't I take the Potter head of house position as well?" he asked Hermione.

"I think you don't really need to, as you are the direct descendant and only heir of the previous head of house. You may summon your ring, though, whenever you want it."

"Is there a reason for me not to summon it right now?"

She smiled at him. "No, Lord Potter, there's nothing to prevent you from doing it now."

Harry lifted his hand, thinking of the Potter ring. As soon as his hand was up, a golden flash appeared and Harry felt another ring on his finger. He put his hand down and looked at the new ring. As expected, this was also a signet ring. It was made of shining gold and carried the house crest on a large ruby, with two small emeralds at its sides. It gave him a feeling of fun and happiness, contradicting the sombre effect of the other ring.

"You may make them invisible or even banish them back to your vaults," Griphook said, "but most lords keep wearing them to show their status. Most of the rings also have very strong protection charms on them protecting their owners from all low-level assaults."

Harry rearranged the rings, keeping the Potter ring on his left and moving the Black one to his right hand. "I need both sides protected," he said with a small smile. He then wished the rings to become invisible and watched them fade out. He could still feel them on his fingers, but they stayed undetectable to anybody else.

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	3. Chapter 3 Victory

**3. Victory**

Kreacher had no problem getting the Huffelpuff cup out of the vault, nor having the dark magic removed from it. Costing the Lastrange vault quite a few gold Galleons. He then brought the cup back to Harry, who hugged him warmly for his help, making the old elf feel quite confused.

"I'm sure the last Horcrux is at Hogwarts," Harry said. "We only have to figure out what it is and where exactly it's hidden."

"Well, if that's another artifact from the founders, then it must be the famous Ravenclaw diadem, although it's supposed to be lost for centuries," Hermione told him.

"What's a diadem?" Harry asked.

"It's a small crown or, more likely, a tiara, one similar to what Fleur has worn during her wedding," Hermione explained.

Harry thought a bit. He had seen one tiara at Hogwarts. Could it be the right one? The chances were slim, but he thought that the risk was minimal.

"I think I know where it is," he finally said.

"You know?"

"Well, I'm not sure it's the right one, but it's worth a try. I saw a tiara in the Room of Requirements, when I hid the book of the Half Blood Prince. I think I should go check it."

"**You're not going anywhere!**" Hermione could really be scary when she wanted to. Harry shrunk on his chair. "Dobby!" she called.

Doby popped in. "Harry's Miss Grangy called Dobby?"

"Yes, Dobby. Can you go to Hogwarts and fetch something for us without being seen?"

"Sure, Miss Grangy. Dobby can go there and back and nobody will notice."

"Good! We need you to go there and fetch a diadem from the Room of Requirements." She saw his questioning look. "That's a tiara, Dobby. I think Harry can tell you how it looks and where you may find it."

Harry wasn't too sure, but he gave Dobby as much information as possible about where the suspect diadem was. Dobby left with a loud 'Crack'.

It took him several hours to return. Harry was already worried sick about him and Hermione was trying to calm him down while internally berating herself for sending Dobby to a dangerous mission after he had saved them from certain death not too long ago.

They were both relieved when a loud 'crack' announced Dobby's arrival.

"I'm very sorry for worrying you, Master and Mistress. I'll go punish myself if you want me to," Dobby said, looking regretful.

"You'll do nothing like that! I forbid you from punishing yourself for as long as you are my bonded house elf," Harry said sternly. "Now, have you found it?"

Dobby smiled and took off a cloth bag that was hung on his shoulder. "Yes, it was exactly where you said, but I could not go there at first."

"Why? Has anybody found you?"

Dobby seemed reluctant. "Yes and no. I had to ask some other house-elves, but they were not even aware of my departure, so they paid no attention. They told me that some students were hiding in the come-and-go room. They were bringing food to them every day. The students were hiding there from the Carrows and their squads of Slytherins."

"Who are these students?"

"Most are your friends. The Longbottom scion and the Weasel girl seem to lead them. I had to go in and ask them to leave for a while, so I could do your mission."

"Where did they go?"

Dobby smiled. "I made them invisible and led them to a hidden passage. I then set a 'notice-me-not' barrier around it, before fetching the diadem. Neville wanted me to tell you that he's protecting Ginny as much as he can. Ginny said 'Hi'."

Harry frowned. "Did you tell them you saw me?"

"No. They only assumed I knew where you were. 'If you happen to see Harry, tell him...' they said."

As much as he wanted to hear about his friends, Harry knew this was more important. The sooner Voldemort could be defeated, the sooner everybody would be safer. He turned the bag, letting the diadem slide out onto the table. He could feel the evil embedded in that jewel.

"Can Bill decontaminate it?" he asked Hermione.

"I think he can. He may need our help, though."

Bill conducted a ritual similar to the one he used on Harry, directing the participants to think about love and friendship. Harry and Hermione looked at each other, thinking of the love that they had not yet expressed. Ron was doing the same with Luna, thinking he was lucky to find so much love. Fleur was just holding Bill's shoulders, letting him feel her love for him while doing the ritual. It went slower than the ritual with Harry, but ended just the same, as Voldemort's Horcrux was destroyed with a loud scream.

Although he had lost his connection into Voldemort's mind along with his scar, Harry was sure that the loss of two Horcruxes would not go unnoticed by Voldemort for long. He thought it was time to strike before Voldemort knew what hit him.

He consulted with Hermione and then called his two house elves. "Do you think you can infiltrate Voldemort's stronghold and kill his snake Nagini?" he asked both.

"Yes, I can," both answered.

"Do you know where it is? He asked, wondering why he didn't think of asking earlier.

"He stays at Riddle manor most of the time, but he likes to stay at Malfoy Manor during weekends," Kreacher informed him.

Harry looked at Hermione. This information could help them a lot. "Does he have house elves?" he asked.

"No. He likes being served by his men, but some of them bring house elves there."

"Thank you. I'll call you again after we've made our plan," Harry dismissed the elves.

"It looks like we can wipe them out soon," he said to Hermione. "Do you know how to find some high-power explosives?"

Hermione smiled. "You've seen too many action films, Mr. Potter. I like your idea, though."

"That's the only kind of films Dudley watched," he shrugged.

After a brief consultation, adding Ron and Luna to the brainstorming, they formulated a plan. It was so simple that one could think it was a joke.

Fleur helped cast some spells on both Harry and Hermione to make them look like an older pair. Hermione first apparated to a nearby town and bought a few newspapers. They looked for demolition companies advertising in them as well as places to buy explosives for that purpose. Once found, Bill helped them forge a document making them representatives of one of the smaller companies.

Hermione apparated them to another town, and a quick look at the Yellow Pages gave them the addresses of a few suppliers. They bought enough explosives for demolishing a large manor house. At another shop they bought several boxes of sharp nails. They had everything delivered to the other side of Little Hangelton, where a disguised Dobby accepted the delivery. They also bought a few cheap cellular phones.

Soon both elves, along with the two teens, were following the instructions Hermione had found on the Internet, freely accessible at a local library.

By sunset, they had several packages ready. Kreacher was instructed to put most near supporting pillars. Another package was gift-wrapped, to be put under Voldemort's throne. Once in position, Kreacher was to instruct all house elves to leave the Riddle house as soon as they heard Voldemort screaming.

Dobby was instructed to place some more packages near the sentries' positions and in the most populated rooms, and then find Nagini and cut the snake's head off magically or by physical means, whatever seemed best. Both were to leave the place as soon as they finished their tasks.

Harry didn't take any chances. As soon as the elves left, he gave Hermione his invisibility cloak. "If anything goes wrong, I've made you and your children my heirs," he told her.

"You mean, **our** children, don't you?" she asked pointedly.

"I really hope so. I love you, Hermione."

"And I love you, Harry. Now, stand still and I will disillusion you."

A few seconds later they were both invisible. While disillusionment could be seen as a kind of unnatural shimmering during daylight, it was practically undetectable after dark.

Kreacher returned ten minutes later. A shrill scream was followed by Dobby arriving, less than two minutes after Kreacher did. From their hiding spot, Harry had a clear view of the manor. He didn't have to wait for long. An inhuman scream was heard, soon followed by sounds of apparitions. Harry waited patiently a bit longer. He then saw some spellfire through the windows of the manor. He lifted a cellular phone and dialed.

The explosion could be heard for miles around. Many houses in Little Hangelton needed their window glasses replaced that night. The manor house collapsed like a tower of playing cards, burying all inside. Harry noticed no disapparition and nobody came out running. Harry sent the elves to cast a muggle repelling ward and a notice-me-not charm on the remains of the manor. He waited for twenty more minutes before approaching it himself, with Hermione walking at his side, yet not too close. Both were still invisible.

"Accio Voldemort's wand," Harry whispered. He was soon greeted with the shattered remains of that wand flaying at him.

"Accio Malfoy's wand," he tried. Two wands came flying, one of them looking unbroken.

He summoned Belatrix's wand and then the wands of all Death Eaters he could remember and even some he'd only suspected. Most casts resulted in the remains of a wand flying at him. He found that even the Carrows had come to their master, evidenced by the remains of their two wands. He couldn't summon Snape's wand, though.

Not knowing who else had been there, he tried to summon all wands, resulting in ten more wands at his feet. Now, being quite sure of the results of his assault, Harry went closer and chanted "Revellio Hominis". There were a few faint blue glows, deep under the rubble. Most were fading as he looked around, signifying that the persons were losing their lives.

One area was pulsing, though, as if it was blinking out and back into life. Harry approached it carefully. He could sense the evil in there. He didn't need to think much. He sent several high-power piercing hexes, stopping only when the pulsing stopped and the bluish glow faded steadily. He then heard a scream, worse than the ones heard from the Horcruxes, as a black smoke rose from the rubble and disintegrated in the slight wind, vanishing completely.

"I think it's over," he heard Hermione's voice. She removed her cloak, becoming visible again and cast the counter spell on Harry, making him visible as well.

"Yes, it looks that way," Harry replied. Despite their victory, none of them felt elated. They had just killed a few tens of people. Harry knew that all death Eaters deserved that fate, but it still didn't make him happy. He was also afraid that some innocents, kept in captivity, may have also been victims. That could be even worse. Hermione wasn't in a better mood either.

"Dobby!" he called.

Both elves appeared.

"Can you take us back to Shell Cottage?"

They arrived a few seconds later and were greeted warmly by all occupants. "Why are you so sad? Has anything gone wrong?" Luna asked.

"It all went perfectly well. These Death Eaters will never harm anybody again," Harry said, throwing the remains of the wands on the table.

"How many were there?" Bill asked.

"I've counted twenty one, called by name, and then ten more, not including Voldemort himself," Hermione said.

"Why are you sad, then?" Ron asked.

"I don't like the idea of killing, even though I had no other choice. It's still sad to have somebody lose his life, and we had quite a few there."

"Do you know who they were?"

"Most of them."

Hermione took a piece of parchment and wrote all the names they knew. "There may be a few who didn't come there, Snape is probably still at Hogwarts, as we couldn't summon his wand. Most snatchers are unmarked, as are the werewolves. They may still need to be captured and put to trial."

"You two look exhausted. I think you should drink something warm and go to bed. Tomorrow may bring some great news," Bill told them.

Fleur brought them a hot chocolate each and let them drink it silently. Once finished she urged them to bed.

"I want to stay with you tonight," Hermione told Harry.

"Why? I mean... I like the idea, but you've never done it before and... Alright."

A faint smile appeared on Hermione's face. "We need the comfort of each other tonight. We may then start working on your idea of having children together. We may need a lot of practice until then, but not tonight. Now we only need to sleep," she said.

They settled for the night on Hermione's bed, as it was wider than Harry's. They took turns in the bathroom and then cuddled in bed. Harry was almost asleep when he got an idea.

"Dobby!" he whispered, thinking that Hermione was already asleep.

Dobby popped in almost silently.

"Can you take Kreacher and vanish all the metal objects we had with the bombs? Nobody needs to suspect the kind of weapons we have used."

"We shall do it promptly!" Dobby promised and vanished.

Harry sighed, hugged Hermione tighter and fell asleep.

* * *

So, many lives spared by acting early and wisely.

As usual, _**Please Review!**_


	4. Chapter 4 Hogwarts

**4. Hogwarts**

Shell Cottage had become a center of activity overnight, literally.

It was first Remus, who came to inform everybody of the birth of his son. He was followed by Percy, informing his brother that all the high officials at the ministry were absent and unreachable. "You know whom to tell this," he said, before going back.

Arthur was the next, with similar news, augmented by the information that aurors were sent to Little Hangelton after some mysterious blast, but could find nothing amiss, except for the many broken windows.

Fred came even before Arthur left. "Our sources tell us that all marked death Eaters have disappeared this evening. None can be contacted. Only Snape is still out there, staying in the hospital wing due to some sudden weakness."

George brought them the morning paper with a list of those missing. The numbers coincided with the list left by Hermione.

Harry and Hermione slept late. Hermione woke up early, really, but feeling Harry at her side, she just snuggled into him and fell asleep again. When Harry started waking, he was alarmed when he noticed where his hand was, resting on a round soft mound of Hermione's breast. Yet he couldn't move his hand away either, as it was held in place by Hermione's hand. He decided to leave it be and simply enjoy it. They only left bed when the pressure in their bladders became too high.

Everybody seemed to be celebrating by the time they reached the kitchen. The whole Weasley family, sans Ginny, seemed to be there, along with quite a few members of the order as well as many friends. They all had a feast on a long table which was placed in the garden.

Once Harry and Hermione ate their fill, Harry asked for volunteers to escort them to Hogwarts. Despite the night's victory, he could not be sure that all opposition was defeated. With a group of ten, half of them Weasley, they apparated to the gates of Hogwarts. The gates were open and no malevolent magic could be detected. They preceded, with Arthur at the lead, as he didn't want any of the younger people to be in the first line of fire if anything happened.

They encountered no opposition. Once they approached the school, Professor McGonagall opened the doors and stood there, waiting for them. She was especially glad to meet Hermione and Harry again.

"The Carrows left last night in a hurry and didn't return. Some of the seventh year Slytherins also left at the same time and didn't return either," she informed the group. "Severus started feeling extreme weakness a few minutes later. He collapsed in the middle of a staff meeting and seems to be in coma since. Madam Pomfrey is not sure he can survive."

"Are there any other Death Eaters at school?"

"I don't think so. Despite his master, Severus kept the whole staff, and grudgingly accepted the Carrows. He even seemed to really try to keep the school as free of any external influence as possible." Minerva sounded a bit confused about Snape's behavior.

Harry set some of the group to guard the entrances and then followed Minerva, along with Hermione, Luna and Ron, to the hospital wing.

"What are you doing here, where everybody can see you? Go back into hiding if you treasure your life!" Madam Pomfrey looked frightened at seeing him.

"I believe that I no longer need to hide. Haven't you seen the morning paper?"

She only frowned, looking still worried.

"How's Snape?" he asked.

"In and out of conscience. He seems to have passed a shock which almost depleted his magical core. There's very little one can do in such a situation. He should rest and take restorative potions. He's so far out that I can't be sure he'll recover." Despite her personal dislike of the man, she was not ready to lose a patient.

Harry approached the bed, holding Hermione's hand tightly.

Snape opened his eyes and looked at Harry, as if he had always been waiting to see him. "Potter... You've finally come..." His hand was resting near his head. He moved it slightly, pointing to his temple. "You... must take... this," he mumbled, as a silvery substance started seeping out of his temple. Hermione was quick to conjure a vial and collect the silvery substance into it. Once done, Snape's breathing calmed down and became very shallow. Harry thought he was dying. He put his hand on the man's forehead and whispered, "Get well," not quite understanding why he did it. Not even he could see some kind of current flowing from his hands into Snape's body.

They turned around, intending to leave, not noticing that Snape's face was gaining a bit of color and a shadow of a smile appeared on it.

They now moved to the headmaster's office, where Harry intended to view the memories. As soon as they entered the room, Dumbledore's portrait noticed them. "What brings you here, Harry? I hope it's good news."

"Well, that depends. I believe that Voldemort is gone for good, along with most of his followers," Harry said.

"You killed them?"

"Not directly. I've planted some high power explosives in Riddle's hideout and detonated them when they were all assembled there, after getting rid of all the Horcruxes. I had to release Riddle of his suffering afterward, though."

"Alas, my boy, it may still be too early to rejoice. Your scar..."

"...is no longer a Horcrux, Headmaster. It was removed by Bill Weasley with the help of my friends a few days ago. See?"

Harry moved his bangs away, revealing his forehead, where a faintest reminder of the scar could be seen only when looking very attentively.

"That's the best news I've had in a long time," the portrait said. "I didn't even know this was possible. Have you told Severus?"

"Why are you so interested in him? He's the one who murdered you!"

"Not so, Harry. I had asked him several months earlier to kill me when the time was right. We had to give young Malfoy a way to redeem himself."

"So, you asked Snape to kill you?"

"I was already dying. That cursed ring made my hand wither and it was only a matter of weeks, at most, before it would have killed me anyhow."

Harry sighed. "There were two Malfoys there, although I don't know which two."

Hermione didn't hesitate. "Dobby!" she called.

"Yes, Mistress. How can Dobby serve you now?"

"Dobby! I'm not your mistress!"

"Oh, you are. You're my master's mate, so you are my mistress. Now, what do you want me to do?"

Hermione only filed his answer in her mind to contemplate later on it. "Can you find either Narcissa or Draco Malfoy and see how they are?"

"I can find Narcissa. Draco is no longer alive. Should I go now?"

"No Dobby. I think I've got my answer."

Harry turned back to the portrait, after listening to Dobby. "It looks like Draco was not redeemable, after all."

Dumbledore lowered his head. "I tried my best..."

Viewing Snape's memories didn't give them any new insight. They were glad to see that in his case, at least, Dumbledore was right; Snape was really on the light side.

By the time they finished viewing the memories, Kingsley arrived with some additional news. "The aurors had finally managed to find the source of the trouble at Little Hangelton. It was a Manor House that collapsed for unknown reasons, killing Voldemort and many of his followers. A few, who were elsewhere, didn't escape that fate either. They were killed of magical exhaustion at about the same time as the explosion. Snape seems to be the luckiest, as he is still alive, even if just barely."

"What's going on now?" Harry asked.

"I've set our people on the move. We've already taken the Ministry back. Some are tracking down all the groups of Snatchers, to be put on trial later this month. A group of volunteers is searching the ruins of Riddle manor for all the corpses, trying to identify as many as possible. Quite a gruesome task, if there ever was one."

"What happened to the Minister?"

"He's among the missing. As we've currently found out, his mark was not on his arm. He had it on his thigh, where nobody would have looked for it."

They were already leaving the office, when a group of students approached. They all looked as if they had passed some rough times, yet they were all smiling. "You've done it!" Neville greeted his friends.

Ginny followed suit, hugging Harry tightly and kissing his cheek, although Hermione looked a bit apprehensive at seeing her. Ginny then held Harry at arm's length and looked him over. "You've changed," she said.

Harry looked her over as well, she seemed to be in good health, She even looked a bit fatter than expected. Ginny noticed his glance pausing over her abdomen. "I'm expecting," she said quietly.

Harry raised his brows. Ginny grabbed Neville's arm. "We were seeking some comfort at these times. We needed to hug each other every night, so..." She blushed a bit.

"Do your parents know?"

Ginny shook her head. "Will you stand with us when we tell them?"

Harry smiled, hugging both Ginny and Neville. "What are friends for, if not for helping their friends?"

It wasn't too bad, eventually. Molly was first appalled at seeing her little girl pregnant, but she then understood the circumstances. It was also very clear that Neville had only honorable intentions. He asked Arthur's permission to propose and then knelt in front of Ginny, asking her to be his wife, in front of all the assembled group of students, Order members and teachers. She was glad to agree.

Neville was quite frightened, though, when Fred and George decided to have a talk with him. He could confront Voldemort, if needed, but these two pranksters were much more intimidating.

Things returned to normal quite quickly after that. Hogwarts resumed functioning normally the next day. Without the Carrows and with the Death Eaters and their spawn removed, even the Slytherins seemed more relaxed and much friendlier than before. Snape stayed another fortnight in the hospital wing, recuperating gradually. He had transferred all the responsibilities of the headmaster to his deputy, intending to go on a long vacation to relax somewhere, far away from the British wizarding world.

Harry and Hermione stayed at school. "We still needed to finish our studies," Hermione was quick to point out. Yet not everything worked out as she expected

Harry was approached by Minerva that first evening. "I'd like you to fill-in for the DADA instructor for the upper two classes," she said. "Based on your DA performance during fifth year, I'm confident you can do a very good job."

Harry was stunned. "But... I don't even know all the spells."

She smiled at him. "The spells are all in the books. They are not the most important part, though. You can learn them in no time, just as you've done for the DA, and you'll get help from the other teachers. I, for one, as well as Filius, will be just glad to help you."

Remus was appointed as the DADA professor for the lower classes. Hermione was also asked to teach the Muggle Studies class and she considered it a great opportunity to show the pureblood children how more advanced Muggles are in anything not concerning magic.

Both Harry and Hermione were getting a lot of help from the staff in order to be able to pass the NEWTs without needing to spend another year at school. "I'd rather have you teaching here than studying for those exams," Minerva told them with a smile. She was smiling a lot now, especially out of class.

Ron didn't join their studies, though. He preferred to repeat the seventh year, doing it with his girlfriend, Luna, at his side. Luna seemed to have a good influence on him, even making his table manners more tolerable.

NEWTs proved to be less of a problem than Harry thought they would be. He believed it was mainly Hermione's beneficial influence and the lack of Ron's distracting one. Being able to concentrate on his studies without worrying for his life was certainly beneficial as well.

It was only after their last NEWT that Hermione called Dobby for a discussion.

"What did yo mean when you said that Harry and I are mates. We had not had any sex yet." She blushed saying this.

Dobby dismissed that. "Ever since before the attack on Riddle Manor you've become a couple. I think you've made some promises to each other, resulting in this bond. I've already checked with the Ministry and with Gringotts. You are registered as a married couple in both places." He then winked at her. "You can have sex freely now."

It only made Hermione blush harder, yet she grabbed Dobby's hand and walked to Harry, who was losing another game of Chess to Ron.

"You are now registered as a married couple," Dobby told Harry as soon as they found a secluded place to talk. "You must have said your vows, in a way, shortly before the attack on Riddle manor."

Harry remembered making Hermione and her children his heirs and her insistence on her children being his as well. Could that be interpreted as a magical vow? It had probably had the same effect, and Harry was actually quite glad of it, yet he felt that he needed to propose and marry her the traditional way as well. Hermione deserved as elegant a wedding as he could give her.

* * *

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	5. Chapter 5 Australia

**5. Australia**

It was only on the train, while riding back home, that Harry brought the subject up. "I know that we are officially married, but it feels a bit like cheating. I mean... We hadn't even dated and I didn't propose properly. I didn't ask your parents' approval either. Most of all – I think you deserve a proper wedding."

Hermione didn't even try to hide her fond smile. "Harry, you owe me nothing. I love it that you try to do everything right, but I don't really need it, as long as I have you."

This brought a smile to his face as well. "Still, I want to be able to show images of my beautiful bride at our wedding and I'm sure your parents want to take part in it as well. I know I'd like to participate in my daughter's wedding when the time comes."

Hermione was glad that he no longer used the "if" but the "when".

"Well, before talking about a wedding, I need to find my parents and restore their memories. I need to go to Australia and look for them."

"You mean WE need to go to Australia. We are a couple now, my love."

Hermione snuggled closer to him. "Of course, my love."

/\/\/\/\/\

Arthur and Molly Weasley were waiting for their youngest children at the train station. After hugging both Harry and Hermione tightly, Mrs. Weasley insisted they should stay at the Burrow for a few days, before going to Australia to bring Hermione's parents back. She didn't seem to mind even when they told her they were married. "I know Ginny had a crush on you, but everybody could clearly see that you two belonged with each other, besides, she's with Neville now. Still, you should stay for the wedding, at least."

"When is it due?" With all that had happened, they failed to stay informed on this event.

"Next week. We wanted to have the wedding before she shows too much, although it doesn't really matter now. It helps make nice wedding pictures, though."

Harry called Kreacher and let him take their trunks to the Black house at Grimmauld Place. He asked the elf to later bring them some appropriate clothes to the Burrow.

"Where's Dobby?" Hermione asked.

"He's in Australia, tracking your parents, Lady Potter. He said you shouldn't just wander around if he could help it."

"Is he alright?" She asked with concern.

"He's perfectly happy." Kreacher looked at her and sighed. "I wish you would spend time in the house, though."

Hermione patted his shoulder. "We shall, Kreacher. Once Ginny is wed, we shall come to London and stay there until it's time to bring my parents home, at least."

"Thank you, Mistress. You are very kind." He bowed, took the trunks and vanished.

/\/\/\/\/\

Ginny's wedding was not as large as Bill's. The year between these two weddings had been a painful year to most and it didn't seem right to have a large celebration, or that was the excuse Molly was giving. Truthfully, she just didn't think she wanted everybody gossiping about Ginny's inappropriate behavior, getting pregnant before getting wed. Neville, although wanting the best for his soon-to-be wife, didn't feel like he could really celebrate such an event while his parents hadn't improved a bit since they had been hospitalized, when he had been a year old.

It was still a large celebration nevertheless. All the DA members came and many of the Order. All Hogwarts teachers took part as well, and even Snape sent congratulations and a small gift all the way from his tropical resort.

Hermione was magnificent at the wedding. She and Harry served as maid of honor and best man, respectively, yet Harry thought that Hermione was looking much more beautiful and more elegant than the bride, although her dress was simpler. He just couldn't take his eyes off her, hardly believing that this gorgeous girl was now his wife.

They moved to the Black house the next day. Kreacher and Dobby had done a wonderful job in renovating the house. Gone were the dark motifs and the snakes had been replaced by gryphons. Dobby had also managed to remove the portrait of Mrs. Black from the wall. Kreacher had moved it to a secluded room which he had transformed to look very elegant, despite being unused. The house was now airy and well lighted. The only relic of the old house was the tapestry with the family tree, restored to its former glory, where Sirius and Andromeda had their rightful places, along with Nymphadora and Teddy. Harry was surprised to find his name there as well, connected to a Black, a few generations back.

"It looks like one of your ancestors had married a Black rebel," Hermione said.

"Well, that's a real motivation to move the house into the right track, if we can," Harry responded.

"Don't you need a different wife for each house?" Hermione didn't sound like she liked that idea, but he knew she would support it if necessary.

"No. I've checked it with Gringotts while you were busy helping Ginny. We can merge both houses or we may assign different heirs to the two houses." He grinned mischievously. "We have enough houses in stock to restart several more houses, if you're willing to bear as many children."

Hermione gasped. "How many?"

"Well, let's see. We have the Potter and the Black, of course. We then have Peverell and Gryffindor, who were my ancestors as well. I can also claim Slytherin, by right of conquest, as we've killed his last descendant. By that same right, we can actually claim most houses of the Death Eaters: Malfoy, Crabble, Goyle, Avery and many more. How many children would you like to bear?"

Hermione felt overwhelmed. "Let's start with one, and then we'll see. And we need a lot of practice before that. Don't you agree?"

"I certainly do, Lady Potter. I certainly do."

He led her to the master bedroom and closed the door. They spent the next two days there, only emerging for the meals.

/\/\/\/\/\

"We now need to plan our voyage to Australia," Hermione said the third day after breakfast.

"Of course, dear," Harry replied like a well trained husband.

She rolled her eyes at him. "We first need to consider how we go there. We could use magical transportation..." Harry's face showed how much he disliked all forms of magical transportation, except flying. "...or we could just fly there the Muggle way."

"Don't you think that traveling muggle would work best? They're muggles and stay at muggle places, don't they?"

Hermione smiled at him. "And besides, you'd like to experience flying in an airplane, won't you?"

Harry laughed. "I can't keep anything from you, even if I try."

"You'd better not!" she mock glared at him.

It was this time that Dobby popped in, attracting their attention.

"Dobby! Where have you been?" both asked.

"I've been searching for your parents, Lady Potter." Dobby seemed to like saying her new title loudly. "You've given them a compulsion to travel, I believe, that makes tracking them very difficult."

"You've found them?"

"Almost. I seem to be a few hours late each time. They've just left their hotel when I reached there, but I've found out where they intend to go next."

"That's wonderful, Dobby. Isn't it difficult for you to move in muggle environment?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"No. I can become invisible, if I want to," he demonstrated, "or just make myself look like a young man." He flicked his fingers and turned into a handsome young man, faintly reminiscent of Harry, but a bit shorter and with fine blond hair.

"I've never known house-elves can do that!"

"Only those who have really powerful masters can do it for any length of time. Others can only keep it for a few seconds – not very useful."

"How long can you keep it?"

"For most of the day, really. I don't get tired, but I've never had a need to keep my disguise for more than a few hours."

Hermione looked back at Harry. "This may give us some more options. Don't you think so, my dear husband?"

He just smiled and nodded, glad to see her in such a good mood.

They spent the morning visiting a travel agency and finding the most appropriate flight. Harry asked for the best seats and was not bothered by the price asked for the first class. He wouldn't accept anything but the best for his wife.

Said wife then dragged him to shop for clothes. Although he had expanded his wardrobe while staying at the Burrow before Ginny's wedding, this voyage required a different type of clothing. Hermione seemed to enjoy finding clothes for him and having him try everything out, so he enjoyed it as well, if only for seeing her joyful.

When they finally took that flight, both looked like regular first-class travelers, wearing high quality clothing of latest fashion. Nobody would have guessed they were a witch and a wizard, especially since Hermione cast a notice-me-not charm on Harry, to hide his enthusiasm at his first plane flight.

By the time they landed, about sixteen hours later, Harry was no longer so enthusiastic about traveling by airplane.

Dobby proved to be a very efficient detective, although the compulsion to travel, the one Hermione had cast on her parents a year earlier, stretched even his abilities to the limit. The Grangers, or Wilkins, as they were now called, had bought a mobile home soon after arriving to Australia and were moving freely, stopping for the night wherever they fancied and staying at hotels or motels quite infrequently. Dobby seemed to always reach their location a little bit after they had left it.

Harry didn't mind it too much, though. He and Hermione were enjoying their unplanned vacation, going to restaurants and attending some shows, although they spent most of their time in their hotel room, just showing their love to each other.

It took Dobby two more weeks to finally find the Wilkins. They had stopped at a roadside restaurant and Dobby first deflated three of their tires before apparating to his master and mistress, disturbing them in the middle of love making and urging them to get dressed and come with him, before the Wilkins could move on.

They arrived just on time. It turned out that Hermione's parents were as good at planning as she was. They had a battery-operated air pump which they used to re-inflate their flattened tires. They also carried two spare tires, just in case. They were already repacking their tools when Hermione and Harry approached them, not even having formed a plan.

"I wonder if you could help us," Harry addressed them. "You see, our car has been stolen and we had to stay here until we find some means of transportation."

The older couple looked skeptically at the youngsters. "Are you even old enough to drive?" he man asked.

"We've just got our license a few weeks ago." That was actually true. Hermione insisted on getting them real driving licenses before going to Australia.

"Well, we can take you to the nearest town, where you can find public transportation to wherever you want to go. It's still more than two hours away on this road. Hop in. We've already been delayed by these unexplained flats."

They went to the back, which was actually a small apartment on wheels. They were both surprised at how much could be put into such a small structure, making efficient use of available space and giving a very comfortable living space for a couple. It even contained a shower unit and a WC, taking away one excuse Hermione was hoping to use to stop them during the drive.

Dobby joined them, still disillusioned, just before they closed the door. "I've put a delayed puncture charm on one of the back wheels. It should trigger in about half an hour," he whispered.

The living area and the driver area were connected. They could talk, but the Wilkins didn't seem interested in talking with the strangers. After a short while, even Hermione gave up trying to start a conversation, although she noticed her mother taking some long glances in the mirror, examining her two passengers.

Dobby's magic worked as expected. Half an hour later, Mr. Wilkins felt his vehicle become unstable. He slowed down carefully and moved to the side of the road, where he stopped the car.

* * *

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	6. Chapter 6 Parents

**6. Parents**

"We now have a punch," Mr. Wilkins informed the others a few seconds later. "We've been a year on the road without any mishap, and now we have the fourth flat in a single day. That's weird."

"Do you want me to help you?" Harry asked.

Despite a few weeks of eating well, Harry was still suffering the effects of the months they had spent on the run with little to no food. Dave looked at Harry's slim build and nodded skeptically. "Are you sure you can?"

Harry smiled. "I'm stronger than I look. You'll have to instruct me, though, as I've never tried it before."

This turned out to be a good idea. Dave Granger had an opportunity to talk with Harry and get to know him a bit better, while Hermione could finally talk with her mother. She used her wand surreptitiously to remove the compulsion charm she'd cast a year earlier. Without it, her mother would not want to travel so much and the rest would be easier.

Both men were sweaty and tired when they finished. Jean moved to the back, unfolded the table and took some cold drinks out of the refrigerator. These were accepted thankfully. Hermione used this chance to remove the compulsion charm from her father as well.

The sun was already setting. "I thought we would arrive there earlier," Dave said. "I don't like to drive these roads in the dark. I think we should just park here for the night. There's room enough for four inside, or you can take our tent and make camp outside, if you prefer more privacy."

Harry wondered how four people could sleep in this tiny area that was barely larger than a normal double bed. He couldn't see how it would be possible even with magic, and the vehicle was completely muggle, he knew.

It turned out to be quite simple, really. The master "bedroom" was just under the roof, which could be raised a bit for the night, while the table and the bench were converted into a bed-frame and covered with a piecewise mattress and a sheet, turning it into a very comfortable bed for two, although not really wide, which the youngsters found quite amusing. The older couple even gave the youngsters some nightwear. It was a perfect fit for Hermione, who was already the same size as her mother. Harry felt his pajama was a bit too large, but after wearing Dudley's hand-me-downs for years, it didn't really bother him.

This was the chance Hermione was waiting for. Dobby helped her, casting a spell to make her parents fall fast asleep. She then cast the very complicated charm that restored their memories, checking her notes several times before each step. Finally, Dobby removed his spell, making the Grangers sleep naturally for the rest of the night.

They all woke up before sunrise, having slept more than enough. Dave and Jean Granger were a bit confused, though. "Hermione! What are you doing here?" Jean asked, "And who is the young man you've been sleeping with?" her father added.

"Mum, Dad, I'm proud to present to you my best friend, my only love and my future husband – Harry Potter. Harry, these are my parents, Jean and Dave Granger."

The formal introduction was somewhat marred by the very informal nightwear, but Hermione's happiness was contagious and both couples were glad to have found each other. They ate a small breakfast and were ready for the road as soon as the light outside brightened. Dobby stayed hidden, just enjoying what he saw.

Dave drove to the nearest town, where they all checked into a hotel – the best that small town had. They spent the rest of the day there, Hermione getting reacquainted with her parents and the Grangers getting to know Harry.

At a certain point, Dobby was also introduced.

"There's someone I'd like you to meet, someone whose help enabled this meeting. We might have continued chasing after you for quite a long time if it wasn't for his help. I want you to meet Dobby, our hose-elf and our friend," Hermione said

She called Dobby, who appeared in his natural form. The Grangers accepted him as just another friend of the family, which almost made Dobby tear up.

It was during dinner, after the Grangers were brought up-to-date with all that had happened to Hermione during their absence (and some more information about previous years as well) that Jean looked at the young couple and noted,"You are already married, aren't you?"

Harry paled down while Hermione blushed deeply. Dave looked bewildered. "Why would you say that?" he asked his wife.

Jean smiled. She stood up and walked to the other side of the table, standing behind the youngsters and putting a hand on each of them. "Have you seen the way they interact? The way they look at each other and talk with each other?" Dave still looked confused. The youngsters felt a bit calmed down by the hands on their shoulders.

"They lack the hesitation and hope of engaged couples. They show the confidence and possessiveness of newly wed, along with some deep mutual understanding which many older couples lack. They clearly belong with each other," Jean explained, smiling reassuringly at her daughter and her son-in-law, as she believed.

Hermione blushed even deeper. "Well, Mum, we didn't have any wedding celebration, but it looks like we have exchanged our vows unknowingly."

Dave looked at her questioningly, while his wife returned to her seat. Hermione felt lucky for casting some privacy charms once they had been served. She didn't want any stranger to hear this.

"You see, just before going into the last battle, when we were still unsure what the outcome would be, Harry said that if anything happened, he wanted me and my children to become his heirs. I said that my children will be his, and then we both confessed our love for each other. This didn't seem so special and we didn't even think of it for a while, until Dobby found out that these words made us magically married, as recognized by the Ministry and by Gringotts."

Jean had a large smile on her face as she heard about it. "Isn't this wonderful? You've been in love with Harry since your first year at Hogwarts and..."

"Mum! Please!" Hermione interrupted her, blushing even harder.

"That's alright, dear. I had feelings towards you since then as well, only I didn't know what they meant until recently," Harry said, taking her hand in his.

"You had?!" Hermione was unable to stop herself from kissing Harry passionately there and then. It would have turned into a full fledged snog or even more, if it wasn't for Dave coughing a few times, quite loudly.

"Sorry," both said, blushing again.

"No, you're not," Jean commented, "just the way it should be." Her husband also seemed to want to say something, but a glare from his wife stopped him. "Still, don't you want a wedding, with a white dress and all that stuff?

Hermione laughed happily. "I don't mind. You know I've never been one for fancy dresses and make up, but I'm willing to do it if you want me to. On the other hand – you may just say that it was done in Australia on a moment's notice and just do a celebration party once we're back home."

Dave frowned a bit. "Where will you live now? You can stay with us, of course, but can you support yourselves now? I remember you telling us that Harry was an orphan raised by an aunt who didn't care much for him."

Harry lowered his head at his words. He had never liked talking about his family and being married to Hermione didn't change that. Hermione just smiled. "Well, Lord Harry James Potter-Black and his wife can live very comfortably only on the income from the family's different assets, without taking a penny out of their capital. We can choose to live in any of his several manor houses..."

"Our," Harry corrected her.

"...or one of the other houses, or just buy one to our taste."

"You mean that Harry is rich?"

"We didn't really know it until recently, but yes – Harry is among the richest one hundred people in England."

"And a Lord?"

"That's not the same as in the mundane world. Harry is the head of a Most Ancient and Noble family in the wizarding world, several of them, actually, and as such is called a Lord."

"Oh," Dave said, not knowing what else he could say. He was just overwhelmed by the events since the previous afternoon. He hoped a good night's sleep would help.

It took them a few days to sell the mobile home and make all arrangements for going back. Dobby didn't stay with them, though; as soon as he was sure that everything was going smoothly, he returned to England, to make sure that the Granger home was ready for its owners.

The others didn't hurry, though. Harry booked a series of flights with long stopovers at Singapore, Tokyo, Beijing, Moscow and Paris before reaching London. It was his first real tourist journey, intended only for pleasure. Hermione was glad that Harry could finally enjoy life and the Grangers had not yet visited most of theses destination. Harry hired a local guide in each city and made sure that Hermione had her fill of museums as well.

Dobby used to come every few days and report about how the work on the Granger house was going. Initially, he found it partly destroyed. Death Eaters seemed to have visited the Granger residence, setting it on fire when they found nobody living there. Luckily, the fire was quickly extinguished by the fire-brigade, called by attentive neighbors, along with the automatic sprinkler system, which Dave had installed even before moving into that house. Hermione had shrunk most of the contents beforehand, leaving only a few old or conjured items to let the house seem inhabited.

Dobby had renewed the walls, repaired any damage done by the fire and resurrected the garden. Hermione let him know where she had hidden the rest of the contents and he restored everything, based on some photos he found in the albums. When they finally came back home, it looked better than before they left it.

"I wonder if our clinic is still in functional order," Dave commented.

Dobby didn't need more than that to find the clinic, based on Hermione's knowledge. He found it in just as bad a shape as the house had been. The Death Eaters had probably visited it as well. The remains of the "Granger Dental Clinic" sign were still seen above the broken door.

It took Dobby only a few days to restore the clinic. The Grangers thought this was a good occasion to upgrade all their medical equipment, making their clinic the most advanced one in the region. A large part of the money came from the insurance, covering the "vandalism attack" on the premise.

While Dobby was working on the dental facility, Harry and Hermione went visiting some of their assets, taking the Grangers along.

Despite having stayed in the Black ancestral home and the Burrow, and seeing Malfoy Manor briefly, none of them was ready for Potter Manor. It looked like a French palace, with elegant and grand architecture, surrounded by beautiful gardens. It was big enough to hold Malfoy Manor in one of its wings. Once inside, they found that the Burrow could probably fit nicely in the master bathroom, with room to spare. A team of ten house elves was tending the manor and the grounds. One was dedicated to the library, keeping it updated with any worthy book, be it magical or not.

"Is this your ancestral home?" Dave asked, looking overwhelmed.

"The goblins say it is, although I've spent my first year at Godric's Hollow, in a much smaller house," Harry said, looking wide-eyed at the magnificent building.

Hermione loved the manor. She didn't care for the size too much and even frowned when finding that she now owned so many house elves, but she could barely refrain from immersing herself in the treasures found in the library. Only Harry's promise that she would have many more opportunities to spend time with the books, along with a firm shove from her mother, made her leave that room, quite reluctantly.

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	7. Chapter 7 Home

**7. Home**

The house at Grimmauld Place was decorated and lighted. Both Dobby and Kreacher had done their best to make it festive and welcoming for their master and mistress along with the Granger couple. Yet the old house was still a bit gloomy, despite their best efforts. Changing the atmosphere of the house would need more than a few days' work and a much larger team.

Still, the Grangers, who came to spend the weekend with the young couple, were impressed by the large house, even if its surrounding left something to be desired.

"Your Godfather must have been quite rich," Dave noted. "Such a big house in the middle of London doesn't come cheap."

"I'm quite sure it was way out of London when they first built it, so it may have not been too costly. Still, the Black is an old family, so they have probably had more than enough even then," Hermione noted.

"While this was the Black ancestral home, it was by no means their only residence. I believe they used to spend a lot of time in other houses, situated in rural environment. I don't think they liked spending much time in the vicinity of Muggles," Harry added.

Ron and Luna were also invited. Luna impressed the older couple with her quick wit as well as her weird notions. Ron didn't make a positive impression, though, especially since even his much improved table manners were still a far cry from what they came to accept as appropriate for a man his age.

Once dinner was over, Luna apologized. "I'd like to stay and get to know you much better, but I still need to get a few shags before Ron has to go back to his Mom."

She then grabbed Ron's hand, walked him to the door and disappeared as soon as they crossed the threshold.

The Grangers were no longer surprised, yet they didn't try to suppress their smiles at hearing Luna. They enjoyed their visit. The house, while somewhat sombre, was very elegant, and the meal they ate there was the best English meal they ever had, although that was not saying much. They even spent the night in one of the guest rooms. It was not as comfortable for them as expected, being muggles in a magical house.

"I want to have a good look at Godric Hollow," Harry said the next morning, after breakfast.

The portkey deposited them in the backyard, where they hadn't visited the last time. Unlike the front, which looked destroyed and neglected, the backyard, which was also large enough to hold several more houses there, with sizable yards around each, seemed to be well kept. The lawn, the trees and the flower beds looked like a gardener was tending them regularly. The house didn't look destroyed from that direction.

"I wonder who is tending to the garden," Harry said.

Hermione didn't hesitate. "Dobby!" she called.

Dobby arrived a few seconds later. "How can Dobby help Lady Potter?" he asked enthusiastically.

"Do you know who is tending this place?" she asked, waving her hand at the backyard.

"The Potter house-elves are doing it, each tending the garden for a day at a time."

"Why only the backyard?"

Dobby seemed to hesitate for a moment. "They don't dare enter the house, where dark magic was used to kill their master and mistress, and the front yard had been taken by the Ministry."

"Thank you, Dobby. You are very helpful," she said, making Dobby feel content.

Hermione cast some detection charms to make sure nothing would harm them as they came closer to the house, finding nothing.

Up close, one could easily see that the house was deserted. A few windows were partly open with some ivy growing around them. The windows themselves were sporting a lot of dust, obscuring the view inside.

Cautiously, they opened the back door, which didn't seem to be locked, finding themselves in a dusty muggle kitchen.

"I thought they used magic all-around," Harry mumbled.

"Why would they? Your mother had grown in muggle environment and was probably more comfortable with muggle instruments," Hermione commented, "and your father was probably unable to use a kitchen anyway, either muggle or magical."

Harry nodded in agreement and looked around. There was still a kettle perching on the stove, as if ready to boil some water. It made Harry think of his mother preparing supper, or maybe just after-supper tea. He felt some moisture creeping into his eyes.

Moving forward, they reached the living room, where the shattered remains of a TV set and a music system were clearly evident. The room looked like any regular living room, where either the Grangers or his aunt could feel at home. A dark spot on the carpet was probably the place where James fell dead. Harry swallowed his tears.

Hermione felt compelled to explain a bit to her parents. "Voldemeort had probably used the killing curse, which in itself doesn't injure the body, leaving no signs, yet he put a lot of power into it, making it physically destructive as well, as evidenced by the damaged remains of the electronics and some of the furniture. This probably caused James's body to bleed, causing the stain." She couldn't hide this from Harry, and he seemed to cringe at her explanation.

They mounted the stairs, reaching the upper floor. The first doorway to the right was wide open, as the remains of the door hung by threads to the frame, and the corner of the room sported a large hole, missing part of the ceiling as well. A crib was set near one wall and a play-pen near the other, with many stuffed animal dolls and some "boy" toys. There was a dark spot on the carpet in this room as well. Harry could no longer swallow his tears. Hermione hugged him, as he cried silently on her shoulder. Jean joined them, hugging them both tightly.

It took him a few minutes to calm down. He then looked around him again. The room had clearly been vacated from any magical artifacts. These had probably been stored in one of the boxes in his vault. The room didn't look beyond repair, though. Hermione had already cast all kinds of revealing charms on the room and on the edges of the hole. She detected the traces of some powerful dark magic, but nothing that could still prove dangerous. It only took her a moment to rid the house of those traces as well.

"I think we should restore it," she said.

Harry nodded. "Yes. It should not stay as a memorial place. It should be full of life and love, defying the intentions Voldemort had."

"Do you want to settle here?" Hermione longed for the library in the manor, yet it would always be just a portkey away, no matter where they chose to live.

Harry looked around once more. "Maybe, after we have a child. The manor is too big for children, I think, and too isolated. I want my children to have friends among their neighbors, to be able to visit friends at will. We can always go to the manor if we want to."

They visited the other rooms as well. These had been kept closed and were almost free of dust. Nothing of value was still there. Harry didn't expect to find anything important. He was quite sure that Dumbledore had removed anything that could point at magic as well as any valuables and stored them in the Potter vault. He was sure to take a thorough inventory of the vault to find out. The closet in the master bedroom still contained his parents' muggle clothes. Most were out of fashion by now, but some items, like their jeans and T-shirts, could still be used. The study, which also served as a small library, contained some old muggle books and magazines.

Harry was surprised to find a small transistor-radio in one of the drawers. He wondered if his parents had found a way to make electronic instruments function well in magical environment. He was sure Hermione would study all options. While they had used electronics for detonating the explosives at Riddle Manor, Hermione only cast some shielding charms on the instruments, knowing they only needed to work as triggers. Having full functionality would probably need some more studies and experiments.

"I think this can make a very comfortable home for a small family, once it is restored," Jean commented.

"I think so too," Harry said, as Hermione nodded.

Dobby was eager to repair the Potter cottage at Godric Hollow, once the Granger's clinic was ready. "It isn't too much work, really. Most of the house is intact. Only the nursery and the roof above it need to be repaired. I'll remove all the remains of old electronic instruments and buy new, modern ones, instead."

"But will they work, once the house is full of magic?" Harry asked.

Dobby smiled knowingly. "It should work perfectly, as it did for your parents. The old families feared modern technology and invented all kind of excuses. Only magic directed at these instruments may harm them."

"How do you know?" Hermione asked.

Dobby looked a bit unsure and turned his eyes to Harry. "I asked older house-elves, ones who knew your parents. One told me he saw your mother listening to a small muggle radio in the middle of the Gryffindor common room."

Both Harry and Dobby were delighted to see the smile growing on Hermione's face.

Dobby did a great work on the house. Within a few weeks he restored the front yard to its original state. He repaired the damage to the nursery and its roof. He cleaned the house, removing all dust and debris, making it sparkle. He replaced the old rugs, which were too damaged, with new ones, and modernized some of the furniture. He also modernized the kitchen, making it become a "dream kitchen" for every house-wife. Harry was sure that Molly would be very envious once she had a chance to see it.

Yet Dobby wasn't satisfied. The house was originally intended for a family with two children at most and had no accommodation for house-elves. With Hermione's blessing, he enlarged it to have a few more rooms, suitable for a much larger family and quite a few guests, yet keeping the front just as modest. He added some quarters for house-elves in the attic. Dobby made sure that his master and mistress would be able to get the best service he and his kind could give them.

The Potters decided to move into that house after they got married the muggle way, but not until they expected their family to grow. Both Hermione and her mother proved to be efficient in planning and executing. They had the guest list ready by the time they returned from Australia and it took them less than a week to decide on a church for the ceremony and a hall for the reception. Hermione made sure to add a brief (for her) explanation for the magical guests on how to dress correctly and how to not attract undue attention. Both professor Flitwick and Hagrid were advised against attending, as each could cause too much of a disturbance in muggle environment.

Harry thought of offering Ron to be his best man, although reluctantly. Ron declined the offer. "You know I'm rubbish at everything Muggle, and being excited for you and in plain view of everybody is sure to cause some problems. I'm honored by your offer, but somebody who knows how to act in muggle environment would be a better choice."

Harry was surprised by this answer. Old Ron would have not considered the implication. If this was Luna's effect on him, then Harry approved wholeheartedly.

He considered others, eventually deciding to ask Colin. This had an additional benefit of neutralizing the too-enthusiastic photographer for the duration of the ceremony. Colin accepted gladly, as expected.

It all went smoother than Harry thought it could. All the guests were punctual, even Ron, and none of the magicals looked out of place. Even Aunt Petunia could find nothing to criticize and Dudley was actually enjoying the company of some girls. It didn't bother him that they all knew the bride and groom from high-school. He was especially enthralled by a certain buxom redhead, who also showed some interest. "It may be interesting to follow the relationship between Susan and Dudley," Harry noted, "especially if it lasts."

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	8. Chapter 8 Couples

**8. Couples**

As Hermione was eager to thoroughly check the library at Potter Manor, they moved there for the rest of the summer, enjoying the clear rural air and the splendor of the manor and the grounds around it.

Dobby spent some time restoring the cottage at Godric Hollow. Once done, Harry and Hermione visited the renovated house, admiring Dobby's work.

Yet Dobby looked bothered.

"What is it, Dobby? You seem to have something on your mind," Harry asked his friend, once back at the manor.

Dobby seemed unsure, though. He seemed to consider his answer several times before he finally spoke.

"I've got word from Hogwarts. My friend Winky is not well. She isn't drinking, not much anyway, but she's getting weaker by the day..."

"Is she ill?" Harry asked with concern in his voice.

Doby nodded and then shook his head. "Winky is not ill, but she is dying. I..."

"Can we do anything to save her? Anything at all."

Dobby looked at Harry, contemplating his answer. He then sighed and spoke. "Winky needs a master. She had never accepted becoming a Hogwarts house elf. Winky wanted a family. Now she may get neither..."

"Will it help if we accept her? You know we don't yet have children, although we hope to have one in less than a year."

Dobby's eyes lighted. "When is it due?"

Harry laughed. "We're still working on it, Dobby. We both still need to fully recuperate from last year before starting the parenthood adventure."

"Winky can't wait that long," Dobby said, looking sad again.

"Why don't you ask Winky if she would like to come and work here. We may even bond, if she wants to, just as I did with you."

Dobby was suddenly very excited, just the way Harry remembered him before they bonded. "Sure! Dobby will tell Winky. Dobby will bring Winky here to bond with the Great Harry Potter Sir. Winky will be well again! Winky will be able to bring new house-elves to the family!"

He seemed to finally notice what he was babbling. He put his hand to his mouth and blushed furiously.

"Go get her. We shall talk later," Harry prompted him.

Dobby clicked his fingers and disappeared.

Dobby reappeared, carrying Winky in his arms. The female house-elf looked extremely pale and barely breathing. Dobby looked very worried. Harry didn't need any explanation. Without bonding, Winky would soon die.

Dobby put Winky on a chair and made sure she was comfortable. He then turned to Harry. "Please bond her before it's too late..."

Harry stepped forward. "Winky, will you accept me as your master? Do you really want to bond with me?"

Winky's nod was barely distinguished. Harry decided to do the same bonding he had with Dobby.

"I, Harry James Potter accept Winky as my bonded house elf and my friend," Harry said as quickly as he could. "I also swear to let Winky free whenever Winky asks for it," he added just as solemnly.

"That will never happen," Winky answered in a weak voice. The bond seemed to already make her stronger, but she would need quite a bit longer to return to her health.

"Well, Winky, your first task is to get well and regain your power. Dobby, show her to one of the spare rooms. She will also need a uniform, but you can handle that later, once she feels better and after she had talked with Hermione."

Dobby just bowed and then took Winky in his arms again, carrying her away.

It was during dinner, almost a week later, when Dobby joined them with a shy Winky following behind him, wearing her new uniform. Harry invited Winky to join the table.

The new uniform that Dobby had procured for her looked still too wide, as Winky seemed to have starved herself before joining the household. Hermione made sure that Winky would not be burdened with work and would have more than enough to eat. She still gave Winky some work to do so that the house-elf would feel useful.

Harry was more worried about Hermione's health, though. She had stayed way too slim since the end of the war. He feared that the torture she had suffered at Malfoy Manor had affected her more than previously thought. His mood didn't go unnoticed by Dobby, though.

"Something seems to be bothering you, Harry," Dobby noted as he came into the study.

"Hermione is still too slim, not at all like she used to be before the war. I'm worried it may indicate that her health isn't good."

Dobby nodded in understanding. "I'll see what I can do."

As usual, Dobby didn't wait for long. Hermione was resting that afternoon, napping on the sofa in the drawing room, when Dobby came close. He waved his hands, using a spell only usable for house elves. Hermione's body started glowing softly, as if a light-bulb was hidden inside. It glowed in several colors, though: blues and greens and some yellows and orange and even a patch of red. Dobby frowned. Blues and greens were fine, but he didn't expect any of the other colors.

Dobby left, only to return with Winky a few minutes later. Hermione was still sleeping. He repeated his spell, showing Winky the areas which raised his concerns. It took Winky some time to comprehend. She then cast a different diagnostic spell. It only formed several shapes above the sleeping woman.

"Call Master to the bedroom. I'll bring her there," she finally said, looking quite a bit worried.

"What have you found, Winky?" were the first words Harry said as he joined them.

Winky frowned, trying to put her findings into words. "Lady Potter seems to have some remains of dark magic affecting her inside. I can remove some of it, but only a curse breaker may be able to remove it all."

There was no question about it in Harry's mind. "Do what you can as soon as possible. I'll contact Bill once you've done your part."

Winky still consulted with Dobby and then with some of the older house-elves before returning to her position near Hermione's head. She clicked her fingers, removing all of Hermione's clothing and then rubbed an ointment on most of her skin, paying special attention to her abdomen and her chest. Once done, she asked Dobby to hold Hermione's feet and chant a certain elf spell. She then turned to Harry. "I know you love my mistress dearly. This is the time to show how much you love her. Please hold her hands and pour as much love as you can into your connection, wishing all dark magic to leave her."

Harry did as requested. He held Hermione's hands as Winky started chanting and waving her hands over Hermione's sleeping body with Dobby holding Hermione's feet and chanting a different spell. Hermione started glowing again, only it was a golden glow now. Harry could see some holes on the bright glow, looking like black holes. He was sure these areas were most severely affected by some curses.

As the chants continued, the glowing seemed to intensify, concentrating mainly around the darker areas, which seemed to get smaller. Harry tried pouring all his love into their connected hands, wishing his magic to remove all traces of the curses from his beloved wife. He couldn't know, but Dobby noticed that it took much longer than the ritual that had healed Harry's scar. About twenty minutes after they started, the glowing began fading. Both Winky and Dobby looked exhausted, yet Harry saw two areas where the darkness had not bee removed.

Winky moved her hand over Hermione's eyes and then collapsed of exhaustion on the floor, with Dobby, looking almost as exhausted, holding her in a tight hug. Hermione seemed to stir awake. She opened her eyes and seemed surprised to find herself in the bedroom. She then looked around and noticed Harry looking worriedly at her. She frowned.

"I thought I fell asleep in the drawing room," she said.

"You did. Winky brought you here," Harry said.

"Why?" She didn't seem to notice her nudity or she didn't mind it, being seen by only her husband and her closest house-elves.

"I told Dobby about my worries concerning your health. He found you sleeping and cast a diagnostic spell. The results confused him. He asked Winky to check you and her diagnostic showed that you were probably suffering from some dark magic curses. She managed to remove most of them, but we shall need Bill to remove the rest. How do you feel?"

Hermione considered it before answering. "I feel stronger, actually, but I also feel famished, as if I've skipped several meals. I also feel very exposed, which makes me quite horny. Care to take care of that first?"

Dobby, still attentive to his master, stood up, a bit wobbly, and helped Winky out of the room.

Harry and Hermione stayed in bed the rest of the day, having their dinner brought there by the house-elves. Winky and Dobby, being exhausted by the healing ritual, retired to their rooms after having a healthy meal each.

Hermione seemed to feel much better the next morning. Her appetite was back and she felt much stronger than the previous day. Her mood was also much better, although she wasn't sure if it was due to the magical treatment or the sharing of love with Harry. She didn't really mind, though.

Harry left a message for Bill soon after breakfast, as Bill wasn't home. It was almost dinner time when Bill called them back. Harry explained the situation to him. "Let me consult my books first. I'll call you again after I find what my options are," Bill said.

It was way after dinner when Bill called again. "I've found a few curses which could have the effects you've described. I'll only be able to identify them when I see Hermione. I'll bring Fleur along, if you don't mind."

"You're both welcome here any time, you know," Harry responded.

Once they arrived, Bill didn't waste time. "Hermione, please go to your bedroom with Fleur. She needs to draw some runes on places I shouldn't touch. You should then lie in the center of the bed. Cover your intimate areas with just a piece of cloth. Fleur will come and call us."

While left alone, Bill turned to Harry. "What made you worry about Hermione? Have you noticed any symptoms?"

"I'm not sure. I've noticed she was staying extremely thin. We were both very thin after our time in hiding, but while I've gained my body back, Hermione didn't seem to gain any weight at all, despite eating quite well. I've become more worried as she seemed to lose her appetite lately, yet she didn't look ill, she didn't act any different than usual and didn't tell me about any aches."

Bill only listened, considering what he was told and going over the symptoms of the different curses in his mind.

Fleur came soon to call them. Harry was surprised to see her wearing a dressing gown, seemingly with nothing else, but he didn't comment. They found Hermione lying on her back at the center of the bed with a thin scarf covering her intimate parts and another one over her chest. Most of her body was covered with craftily drawn runes, looking like a fine tapestry.

Bill waved his wand over Hermione, chanting something that none of the others understood. Hermione's body started glowing slightly as a bluish fog engulfed her body. It was quite uniform, except for two areas. One of them was glowing green similar to the killing curse, while the other had a dark-red glow.

Bill consulted with his books for a few minutes. He then turned back to Hermione. "I believe I've found the best way to treat you. It may be painful, though, so I'm going to cast some pain-killer charms on you, as well as a mild sleeping spell which will also keep you from moving involuntarily. It should all be over in less than half an hour."

Hermione nodded her agreement and Bill proceeded as planned. He then turned to Harry.

"We should also undress, staying in our underpants only," Bill said. Fleur dropped her gown, staying completely nude. Harry would have admired Fleur's body under different circumstances, but it was all part of a counter-curse ritual, and he paid it no attention as such.

"Fleur, you should stand over her head and hold her hands; Harry, you should move between her thighs and put your hands flat on her belly, but not over the cursed regions. Try not to cover the runes either," Bill instructed.

Neither Harry nor Fleur could really stand. They moved on the bed, standing on their knees as they took the right positions. Harry couldn't refrain from noticing how shapely Fleur was, and yet Hermione was almost as shapely, despite being too thin. He was sure that once Hermione recovered, she would have nothing to be ashamed of even compared to a Veela.

Bill positioned himself at the side of the bed, as close to the affected areas as possible. "Harry, please remove the scarves. This magic allows no cloth to interfere. You should put them back before we wake Hermione, though."

Once they were all ready, Bill started the ritual. He moved his hands in very complicated movements, as if talking a silent language or performing an intricate dance. He then added some sounds. They didn't seem to form words, only to accentuate certain hand gestures. Hermione started glowing, as well as Harry and Fleur. It was a golden glow, giving a soothing feeling, seeming to start from where Hermione was being touched and spreading over her whole body.

Bill took his wand and touched one of the runes. It seemed to light up and then to ignite the other runes, which started glowing much stronger than the rest of Hermione's body. Bill added a chant in what seemed to be ancient Sumerian. This intensified the light coming from the runes. They were changing color as well, going through all the colors of the rainbow repeatedly. It was slow at first, but became faster and faster until all Harry could see was an almost blinding white glow engulfing Hermione and shining even brighter where he had previously seen the curse effects. Harry tried to pour his love to Hermione and fuel it with his magic, wishing the curses to disappear, just as previously instructed.

The glowing was becoming too bright to look at. Harry closed his eyes, wishing Hermione to be completely healthy when he opened them again. He then heard a sound similar to a strong wind sweeping over them. The glow faded quickly. He opened his eyes.

"I'm taking Fleur to the adjacent room. You should now copulate with Hermione as soon as she wakes up. This is an important part of the ritual. We shall be doing the same." Bill grabbed Fleur's hand and helped her move away from the bed. They collected their clothes and moved out of the room, closing the door behind.

"I love you," he heard, as he saw the door closing. He turned his glance to Hermione. Her eyes were shining with love at him. "I love you too". He bent down and kissed her tenderly. Hermione deepened the kiss. He didn't need Bill's instructions. Their love and their magic were dictating their actions, not for the first time.

Harry woke up. It took him a few minutes to recall what had happened and why Hermione was covered in runes, most of them quite smeared by then. He smiled seeing his wife. He always liked seeing her nude.

Hermione was waking up as well. She looked at Harry with a smile similar to his. "I'm famished," she said, blushing as if this was inappropriate.

"Winky!" Harry called.

The house-elf appeared immediately.

"Can you check Hermione now?"

Winky nodded and cast the diagnostic spell. Hermione's body glowed again. It wasn't a uniform glow, but it had no holes either. Winky smiled. "Mistress seems to be in much better health than before. Would you like breakfast in bed? Your guests have already left."

"Yes, please," Hermione said. She then turned to Harry. "Has Bill said for how long we must keep copulating?"

Harry smiled mischievously. "I believe it is for the rest of our lives."

Hermione seemed to consider his response seriously. "Oh, well. It's much better than taking potions, I believe," she said, as if accepting a sentence.

"Still I think we may take a break to wash a bit before we eat and then resume that healing activity," Harry said.

Hermione didn't answer. She just grabbed Harry's face and kissed him.

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_**Please Review!**_


	9. Chapter 9 Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Winky and Dobby moved to a couple's room soon after the ritual. Winky brought a baby house-elf to the Potter house about five months later, making Dobby a proud father.

Fleur had already been pregnant during that ritual. She gave birth to Victoire about seven months later, bringing all the Weaslys a new hope and a reason for happiness.

Harry and Hermione returned to Hogwarts as teachers, keeping their distance from the wizarding politics, except when they thought it was important. Then they used their full influence to achieve their goals. Nobody dared stay in their way.

Hermione gave birth to James nine months after the ritual, with Harry supporting her all through her pregnancy and then during delivery, using his magic to ease the birth process as much as he could. Winky seemed to be as happy as can be, being finally able to help a real family.

Sirius Potter-Black was born a year later, almost to the day.

Lilly came another year later, making Harry even happier.

It was three years later when they got twins: Jean and Dave. This time, both pregnancy and delivery were much harder on Hermione and she didn't think she'd like more children, yet they had Remus only ten months later.

Winky was glad to care for so many children, along with a few more of her own, and Dobby was just as enthusiastic. The Grangers were very happy having so many grandchildren to spoil.

Nobody though of more children. Still, two years later, Dora was born. She soon proved to have similar talents to her namesake and Godmother. She was a metamorphmagus with a fiery temper and was quite clumsy at times. Luckily, Teddy had become her protector and constant company since early age. Nobody wondered when the two decided to marry once Dora finished Hogwarts.

It was more than a hundred years later when Harry and Hermione moved to the next great adventure, leaving their aged bodies still hugging in their bed.

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**A.N. **I hope you are not too disappointed by the short epilogue. I could have continued the story, making it a parents/children one or a teachers/students or even a political romance, but I think that this is the best point to stop this story if I don't want to drag it. As many of you know, life has its ups and downs, even for people who are generally happy. I'd rather not go into it, but stop the story where everybody seems happy, at least for a while.

And, as always - _**Please Review!**_


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